Laura Reed was born into the wealthiest family in the Chinese economic circle—the Lan family of Hong Kong, the direct granddaughter of Lan Tiancheng, the richest Chinese tycoon. Yet for some unknown reason, she was studying in Jinghua on the mainland. As for Nathaniel Johnson, he was just the child of an ordinary cadre family—the gap between them was like heaven and earth. Not to mention anything else, just looking at those privileged heirs from powerful families constantly vying for Laura Reed's attention, Nathaniel Johnson in his previous life knew he never stood a chance. They were people from two different worlds; to have had those chance encounters with her on campus was already a rare stroke of fate—what more could he hope for?

Nathaniel Johnson never felt inferior, but deep down he possessed a certain pride. He wouldn't go out of his way to make a fool of himself, so in his previous life, even after graduating and leaving Jinghua University, he never confessed his feelings to the goddess in his heart.

Now reborn, facing his goddess once again, should he confess? As soon as this thought arose, a strange, world-weary, and detached smile appeared at the corner of Nathaniel Johnson's mouth, and he slowly suppressed this somewhat abrupt idea... At present, he was facing matters far more important than this. If he could rise again, if fate truly destined him to be with Laura Reed, then naturally there would be another chance to meet, and he certainly wouldn't let it slip by again. But for now, it was best to let things take their course.

If he forced a confession, aside from making a fool of himself, Nathaniel Johnson couldn't imagine any other outcome.

Nathaniel Johnson smiled calmly and continued on his way. Perhaps only the warm, fragrant summer breeze flowing past him could truly understand his feelings at this moment.

This beautiful, illusory, and hidden one-sided first love during his four years at university ended without a result, like a dream.

He never married. Although there had been a few women by his side, he had never walked into the hall of marriage with any of them. Perhaps it was because the image of his goddess Laura Reed had always lingered in his heart. Just as his career was flourishing and he heard that Laura Reed had ended a brief marriage and was single again, and he was preparing to rush to Hong Kong to confess to Laura Reed in person, Ashley Brooks and Henry Parker colluded inside and out to frame him, and disaster struck.

Suddenly recalling his deputy Henry Parker, who had betrayed him, Nathaniel Johnson's heart trembled violently, and even the corners of his mouth twitched slightly. The resentment and unwillingness from his previous life could never truly fade away like dust; the pain and humiliation Henry Parker brought him became clear and unforgettable in an instant.

Henry Parker! Ashley Brooks! I have returned... Nathaniel Johnson's firm, thick lips pressed tightly together, forming a determined and angry arc.

He would not become cynical and blame the world because of a subordinate's betrayal, but the betrayal of a trusted confidant made him even more aware of the impermanence of the world and the darkness of human nature.

……

……

On June 23, 1996, the graduates of the class of '92 had already begun to leave campus one after another, each heading toward a different starting point in life. At this time, after the expansion of university enrollment, the state no longer assigned jobs to graduates, but for graduates of Jinghua University, the top institution in the country, employment was not much of a problem.

The Guanghua School of Management at Jinghua University was the top of the top among the nation's elite institutions, enjoying the highest prestige in the field of economics and management. It was not a place ordinary people could get into. This diploma was, in fact, a dazzling billboard—very persuasive.

In the mid-1990s in China, this was enough for these high-spirited and ambitious graduates to secure a respectable and well-paid job. Government agencies, public institutions, and large state-owned enterprises were all good choices.

In the morning, after hurriedly saying goodbye to a few familiar classmates, Nathaniel Johnson carried his simple suitcase without a trace of nostalgia, slowly walking along the wide campus road toward the main gate. If he remembered correctly, at this moment, outside the school gate, his father Noah Johnson's driver Liam Carter was waiting to take him back to Haidu.

Chapter 002: An Encounter and a Provocation

Along the way, he occasionally saw other graduates like Nathaniel Johnson, dragging their luggage and hurrying out of campus. The verdant years of university were certainly nostalgic, but the world outside the university gates was even more irresistibly attractive.

The sun hung high in the sky, scorching and merciless, the weather stiflingly hot. The endless, irritating chorus of cicadas in the French plane trees lining the campus avenue was enough to drive anyone crazy. Nathaniel Johnson stopped, wiped the fine beads of sweat from his forehead, and continued forward.

As he walked, a sudden blaring car horn sounded behind him. Nathaniel Johnson paused, slightly startled, and looked back. A black, extended Hongqi sedan screeched to a halt beside him. The young male driver rolled down the window, stuck his head out, and glared at him impatiently, scolding, "Hey kid, do you even know how to walk? You're strolling right down the middle of the road—are you going to let cars pass or not?"

Nathaniel Johnson recognized this guy—he was one of Laura Reed's suitors, Charles Bennett, also a graduate of the class of '92 from the Guanghua School of Management. Rumor had it he was the son of a high-ranking central official, and he was often seen driving this black, extended Hongqi in and out of campus, making him something of a celebrity at Guanghua.